Interest in the Fort Macleod Chamber of Commerce is strong to start the new year.
The Chamber has already signed on 45 members for 2014, with a goal of topping 100.
“It’s going really well,” Chamber president Terry Daniel said.
Daniel provided an update on membership Thursday during the Chamber’s monthly meeting at the Rural Alberta Business Centre.
The Chamber signed up 85 members in 2013.
“We still want to hit 100, and we’re almost half,” Daniel said. “So we’ll just keep pushing it.”
Daniel sent out application forms and information packages in December to 247 licensed businesses in Fort Macleod.
Chamber executive member Domiec Holwerda also contacted businesses by e-mail and through the organization’s Web site.
“We’re trying to engage the farming community as well,” Daniel said.
Membership in the Chamber of Commerce helps fund activities the organization undertakes for the benefit of Fort Macleod.
The Chamber of Commerce organizes the antique sale and show in June and co-ordinates the Midnight Madness late-night shopping event during the Christmas Festival, the Christmas Shopping Spree promotion and the Christmas light contest.
The Chamber also co-ordinates the annual Citizen of the Year awards program.
The Chamber is responsible for hiring and supervising the Main Street cleaning crew during the summer.
This past year the Chamber took an active role in lobbying town council to reduce the tax burden on business owners.
The Fort Macleod group is a member of the Alberta Chambers of Commerce, which operates several programs available to all Chamber members in the province.
The Alberta Chamber administers a staff benefits plan, a discount gasoline program, and a discount program for major hotels.
It also provides members a lower rate for operating credit card and Interac machines.
The Chamber has maintained its membership fees at the same level as last year. The Fort Macleod Chamber’s membership fee structure is as follows:

$25 a year for non-business individual membership.

$75 a year for businesses with one employee.

$100 a year for businesses with two to 10 employees.

$125 a year for businesses with 11 to 49 employees.

$175 a year for businesses with 50 to 75 employees.

$200 a year for businesses with 76 or more employees.

For information about becoming a Chamber of Commerce member phone Terry Daniel at 403-553-3991.